Croydon Dance Student Wins Walk On Part in BILLY ELLIOT

On Friday 22 November 2013, 18 year performing arts student Rebecca White from Croydon will join the cast of Elton John and Lee Hall's Billy Elliot the Musical at the Victoria Palace Theatre in the West End. By answering what does it feel like when you are dancing?, the question asked of Billy Elliot in his audition for the Royal Ballet School, Rebecca was chosen from over 1600 competition entries to perform as part of the internationally award-winning show.

Rebecca, who has recently completed a BTEC in performing arts and dance, will join the cast to perform in two numbers. In the lead up to her West End debut and in preparation for her performance she will join the cast for rehearsals and have costume fittings and hair and make-up appointments with the Billy Elliot production team. As part of her prize Rebecca has also won three tickets for the date of her performance followed by a stay at a top London hotel for her and her guests.

Rebecca White said: "It's a dream come true for me to be given this fantastic opportunity to perform in Billy Elliot the Musical on the West End stage and I am so looking forward to working with such a talented company. When I found out I had won the competition, I couldn't believe it. I have always been a huge fan of the show and I can't wait to take my first steps on to the West End stage with my friends and family watching from the audience."

Based on the Oscar nominated film, Billy Elliot the Musical is an inspirational story of one boy's dream to realise his ambitions against the odds. Set in the North East of England against the background of the historic 1984/85 miners' strike, Billy pursues his passion for dance in secret to avoid disapproval of his struggling family

Now in its ninth year at the Victoria Palace Theatre and having been seen by nearly 9.5 million people worldwide across five continents, Billy Elliot the Musical is currently booking to May 2015. Winner of five Olivier Awards, including the BBC Radio 2 Audience Award voted for by the theatregoing public, and recipient of over 80 awards internationally, Billy Elliot the Musical has now played over 7000 performances globally and has been seen by over 4 million people in the West End.

Productions of Billy Elliot the Musical have been staged on Broadway, as well as in Sydney, Melbourne, Chicago, Toronto and Seoul, South Korea. The North American touring production, which began in 2010, recently finished its spectacular run with a three week August engagement in São Paulo, Brazil, the first time the show has played in South America. Further international productions are planned including Holland and Germany.

Billy Elliot the Musical features music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, is directed by Stephen Daldry with choreography by Peter Darling. The production features scenic design by Ian MacNeil, the associate director is Julian Webber, costume design is by Nicky Gillibrand, lighting design by Rick Fisher and sound design by Paul Arditti. Musical supervision and orchestrations are by Martin Koch.

Billy Elliot the Musical is presented in London by Universal Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions in association with Tiger Aspect and is based on the Universal Pictures/ Studio Canal film.